"Is that too much wind on you?"

I have no air conditioning in my car right now. It's not the most pleasant thing I've endured in my life, but it's not the most unpleasant, either. In fact, I decided to compile a list of the things I've discovered while riding around with the windows down.

1. There ARE slight variations in southern summer weather. I am not sure I noticed it like this before, but, for example, last Thursday was so hot, I thought I was going to die just driving around Mount Pleasant. Friday and Saturday, on the other hand, were a lot more bearable. The temperature dropped a few degrees and I found myself declaring that if every day this summer felt like those days, I wouldn't bother fixing the dang thing. Because of no AC in the car, I find myself eagerly checking out the weather every morning, a ritual usually reserved for the cooler months in Charleston (when we aren't sure if it'll be 45 degrees or 65).

2. My skirt and dress wardrobe is extremely limited. I look at my jeans longingly, knowing that I want to wear them with a tank top, but I opt for the skirt or dress. I need ventilation.

3. Other cars - nice ones too - sometimes don't have air conditioning. I've noticed other people with their windows down on the hottest days, their chins resting wearily inside their palms during motionless red lights. And I've thought to myself, I'm right there with ya.

4. 18-wheelers are loud. Especially when I'm trying to have a phone conversation. As are ambulances, other people's rap music, construction workers and Harleys. AND if I'm not on the phone, I'm playing my own music loudly enough to hear it over the roaring wind.

5. There is NO way my hair is going to look decent again until I get this problem fixed. It has been a frizzy, misshapen mess since I started pumping it full of wind and humidity. I'm tired of wearing it in a bun, but now that I think about it, I always wear my hair in a bun during the summer anyway.

6. I should probably be wearing more sunscreen, because my arm and leg are practically hanging out my window.

7. As I was telling Aaron the other night, it's much harder to daydream and to zone out with my windows down and the world oozing into my car. This might make me a better driver - I'm not sure.

8. I cannot just throw papers haphazardly around my backseat. Those suckers will fly out.

9. People are still willing to have me drive them places. Gas is so expensive, sweating for a while seems fine in comparison.

10. I don't bother to lock my car anymore. I take my computer with me if I have it, I grab my purse, and I leave the car unlocked. If someone wants to steal my hot-ass vehicle, fine with me. Just kidding.

All in all, I think it's time to get the AC fixed, but it's also nice to know that I'm resilient. If anyone has the name of a good, cheap mechanic, I'm all ears. And if you want to drive us around, I'm down for that, too.

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